Addiction services featured in Illinois Medicaid proposal

CHICAGO (AP) — Addiction treatment and support for long-term recovery are included in a new proposal to restructure Illinois’ $18 billion Medicaid program.

Twelve Illinois state agencies and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office will host two public hearings next week on the proposal. It would bring in $2.7 billion in new federal money over five years if approved by Washington.

The proposal includes housing and employment services for vulnerable people, and it would strengthen pre-release services for prisoners. A pilot program would provide an injectable relapse-prevention drug called naltrexone to 200 prisoners prior to their release.

The first public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 8 at 10:30 a.m. at the Howlett Building in Springfield. The second is Sept. 9 at 10:30 a.m. at the Thompson Center in Chicago.